Megaman:  A Brave New World
by Gregg Landsman
Summary: An absolutely alternate universe.  In an alternate ending to the Megaman saga, where Zero's mission ran awry and Rock and Wily destroyed each other, the legacy of Dr. Light will be carried on by the most unexpected of people...
1. Default Chapter

            Megaman and all associated characters are the property of Capcom.  All rights reserved.  All original characters, including the Angels, the Coles, the Templar legions, et al, are my property and may be used with my express written permission.

            Very AU.  And I mean VERY.  Enjoy…heh heh…

**The Brave New World…**

Prologue:

Quantum Steps

            It happened days after he awoke for the first time.

            There was no pomp or circumstance, no embrace by his father.  All he did was fit him with his arm-cannon, give him a picture, and tell him to kill his target.

            His target was a young man in a padded blue armor-bodysuit and helmet.

            His target was Megaman.

            As ordered, he tracked him down, fought him and his family…

            And he was defeated.

            He was defeated before he could kill a single one of them, after a stray shot clipped his target's sister in the arm…

            And that's when his brother turned on him.

            By all means, he was Bass's superior.  By all means, any attack by Bass was to fail…but Bass didn't attack by his own weapons.  He leaped on him, grabbed him in a choke-hold, and bashed him in the face until he was disoriented enough for them all to open fire on him and knock him into unconsciousness.

            When he next awoke, he was surrounded by them.  His arm cannon was gone.  His beam sabre was gone.

            And they knew what he was, even if he didn't.

            A Reploid, an advanced type of android able to think and feel, to make decisions on his own.

            His name was Zero, and he was the first of his kind, and by some fluke they managed to capture him and find out where his father was hiding.

            They left, then.  They left without a word to him…except for Megaman.

            Despite the fact that Zero was made for the purpose of killing him…Megaman shook his hand.  He told him that in the battlefield, he was impressive…and he's glad they resolved that before either of them had to die.

            And then he left, to.

            And that was the last time Zero saw the man in blue.

            Wily's final invention was called the Quantum Box.

            It worked by reaching behind the fabric of the universe and twisting the cogs of reality, changing it until what it targeted was removed from reality.

            According to the information Zero carried in his CPU, Wily had set the Box, if Zero failed, to remove the Japanese Archipelago, China, Southern Russia and India from reality.

            _2.93 billion lives._

            That thought repeats in Megaman's head as he, astride the Rush-jet, flies through the sky towards the Skull Tower, Wily's final fortress.

            "He's lost it," Bass says, flying alongside him in his merged form, "Wily has his moment's of clarity, and this isn't one of them.  He'll kill us all if he gets the chance."

            "I understand," Rock responds, and grins slightly in Bass's direction, "Thanks for the help with Zero."

            "Don't think I did it for you," Bass snarls, "I'm still going to kill you when this is over."

            Before Megaman can respond, the ebon-clad robot veers off, heading towards the west entrance.

            Rush barks a question to his master, jets flaring as they speed towards the central tower of Wily's fortress.

            "I know, boy," Megaman responds, "I know."

            Those would be the last words they shared, before the battle began.

            It was a glorious battle.  Robot Masters were called up and struck down by Megaman and Bass, in their desperate race towards the insane scientist's citadel.

            Even combined with their support units, the battle was hard and fearsome.  But fighting side-by-side the two warriors, one bred for battle, one for peace, made their way through the resistance.

            And as Bass held back the last waves of Wily's army, Megaman faced down his friend and nemesis for the final time.

            Which is when the countdown began.

            The Box was activated.

            Striking down Wily's last mecha, Megaman worked the controls for the Quantum Box, and he could see only one solution.

            It was Rush, separated from his master, who gave the word to Bass to leave.  And regretfully, he did, taking the crimson dog and his own hound with him, as the fortress began to glow.

            No one knows exactly what happened that fateful day.  No one knows what happened when Wily's final stronghold began to glow.  All that is left, all that is known, is the final message Megaman delivered to his creator before the stronghold blinked out of existence.

            "_There's only one way to stop it.  I knew, in the end, it would come down to this.  We all did.  I'm sorry, Dad.  I love you.  Good bye._"

            And with a flash of multi-hued light and an onrush of air, Wily's fortress, Megaman, the scientist, and so many of Wily's lieutenants…

            Were gone.

            That is where an old story ends…and a new story begins.

            Bass stayed with them for a while, until Roll had recovered.  Then, he bid them goodbye, and left for parts unknown, Treble at his heels.

            Protoman was nowhere to be found.

            And then…

            There was Zero.

            Zero, the Protoreploid, last creation of Wily…who without his master's commands, became docile.  Remorseful for the sacrifice that he was at the root of, he swore himself to Dr. Light's service until the old man's dying day…

            Which came, three short years later.

            We could go on for days on the events that happened.  How the wife none knew Dr. Light had showed up with his young daughter, Sarah, a gifted soul that would take up her father's legacy.

            How years later, at the cusp of adulthood the girl was wooed by a fellow scientist named Robert Cole.  As his savvy in both business and science built up the fledgling Cole Labs, the two married and had a child, Robert jr.

            No one knew, just what a nexus of destiny the child was going to be.

            No one knew, the boy, born fifteen years after Megaman's last battle, would be the one to carry on the Blue Bomber's legacy.

            No one knew…except for the sleeping boy in a capsule, far beneath the surface of Tokyo…

            Until, as Robert jr. reached his twenty fifth year…

            The Capsule opened.


	2. Carpe Diem

Carpe Deim

            2073, forty years after the last battle of Megaman and Dr. Wily.

            It is January.  The cold, bitter air of winter grips the city of Tokyo, as a woman hurries down the sidewalks to her destination.  She is tall, slim and fair skinned, her long blonde hair falling down her back in a loose ponytail, her red and black dress suit covered mostly by her black overcoat.

            Her name is Elizabeth Light.  In truth, her name is Roll, third creation of Dr. Light, her consciousness transferred from her teenage form before Dr. Light's death into a perpetually evolving, adult Reploid body, as per her wishes.

            The general public knows this, but she prefers to not blurt it out.  The wounds of the Wily wars have not all yet healed.

            Tightening her overcoat, she walks through the revolving glass doors into one of the many skyscrapers of Tokyo, the tower designated for Cole Labs.  Waving to one of the receptionists, she walks towards the central elevator of the three on the lobby's opposite wall, muttering greetings to the various comers and goers who know her.

            "Fifty seventh floor, please," she says to the elevator's onboard computer, sliding off her overcoat and hanging it on her right arm, straightening the collar of her black buttoned shirt as the doors close.

            If she had known she was being followed, the day might not have been as momentous as it was.  If she had spotted the shades-wearing figure following her on the low rooftops, she would have recognized him despite the years since they last saw each other.

            "Give me location," he says, turning from the Cole Labs building, his brown trench coat swirling like a cape.

            "_It's thirty feet below street level, one mile north.  Hard to miss if you're in the sewer line._"

            On cue, a manhole cover on the street below pops open.  Grinning to himself, he takes off his sunglasses, stowing them in a jacket pocket…

            Before taking a running leap off the building, jackknifing his body into a swan dive as he descends fifteen stories and into the sewer entrance.  Diving down the entrance tunnel, he grabs a pipe as the sewer floor approaches, breaking the pipe as it breaks his fall and somersaulting to the concrete walkway.

            His padded black boots make no sound as they touch the ground, the man snapping back on his sunglasses and using the onboard computer to give him directions.

            "North," he says, taking off in a sprint.

            Running at forty mph, he soon found it.  As his contact said, it wasn't hard to miss.

            Blackened concrete soon gave way to pale blue metal, wires hanging from the ceiling and blinking computer monitors lining the walls.

            "Why didn't we see this before?" he asks.

            "_I'm guessing because it wasn't ready, yet._"

            "Possibly."

            He continues walking, looking about the hidden lab.  He recognizes the lines of data as language, recognizes the diagnostic controls connected via wires to a central unit…

            Which turns out to be a capsule, ten feet long by five feet wide, lying on a bed of wires and metal.

            With a single, blinking green light at the head.

            "_Wait!  There's an energy surge!_"

            He turns, looking towards the entrance…and sees the sewer beyond the lab flashing…and turning into the inside of a cave.

            "Of course," he says, "This entire lab has a teleporter…can you hear me?"

            "_Yes.  What happened?_"

            "I'll explain later.  What's my location?"

            "_Checking…wait…you're in a cave system outside of __Wales__, __Scotland__!_"

            He nods, grunting as he walks towards the capsule.  Pressing an almost invisible button under the light, a panel opens to reveal a keypad and small monitor, requesting a password.

            "Rebecca," he says, and types in the word.

            The light flashes green again, steam escaping the sides as it begins to open.

            "_Rebecca?_"

            "The wife we never knew he had."

            The metal parts, revealing translucent green glass.  And underneath it, there is revealed a young man, with wild, raven-black hair.  His clothing, if it can be called that, is a dark blue bodysuit with solid blue armor at the chest, the lower legs and arms, flared round at the shoulders and with a belt around his waist.

            With a start, he opens his eyes, the glass fading as if it was never there.  Tentatively, the young man grips the sides of the capsule, sitting up, focusing his blue eyes on the first person he sees.

            "Who are you?" he asks.

            "My name is Blues," the man responds, closing his sunglasses and extending a hand to the newly awakened prototype, "It's good to finally meet you, Megaman X.  I'm your older brother."

            Strutting with confidence like an alpha-male Peacock, his knee-length blonde braid swaying, the young man strides down the hallway, lab coat over his denim shirt and slacks, glasses on the bridge of his nose.

            Despite being active for forty years, the young man has the mentality and age of a person just over eighteen.  The exact reason he dumped his entire memory two decades ago is a secret kept only by Roll and Dr. Sarah Cole, and by him as well.

            But for Zero, Dr. Cole's assistant, protoreploid, and child prodigy, that is the furthest thing in his mind.  Today, he's going to propose a project to his boss, and finally stand up to the tormentor he's had to deal with for the past five years.

            At least, when he remembers to tie his shoe laces.

            Lurching forward, flailing his arms wildly to the point where he almost flies, Zero falls face-first onto the mercifully carpeted hallway floor.

            "Good morning, Wonderboy."

            Raising his head, he looks up the stocking-covered legs of his tormentor.  Short, no more than five and a third feet tall, with long black hair and green eyes.  She grins, taking whatever satisfaction she can from his situation, squatting down to his level.

            "Hello, Iris," he mumbles.

            "Good morning, Zero," Iris Cole, protoreploid creation of Sarah Cole, says, "Having trouble?"

            "None, thank you," Zero snarls, "If you will excuse me, _Miss_ Cole, I have to see someone before I start my…"

            "_SARAH!_"

            Running at full sprint, tearing down the hall, Roll runs by them…

            And skids to a stop, running back to them, her face covered in sweat and eyes wide with shock.  She looks to Iris, then to Zero, pushing past the younger woman and hauling Zero to his feet.

            "You," she says, "_Don't.  Move._"

            Pulling him aside, she continues running down the hallway, nearly falling as she turns the corner, screaming for Dr. Cole the entire time.  Placing a cautious hand on his shoulder, Iris looks down the hallway her semi-friend had gone.

            "What the Hell was that about?" she asks.

            "No idea," Zero says, shaking his head, "No idea at all."

            Five minutes earlier.

            The day had begun, as Roll takes a sip from her ever-present water bottle, leafing through folders that Sarah Light-Cole, her immediate superior and best friend has left for her.  The manila pile consists of proposals, financial estimates, and the occasional letter of recommendation from Dr. Lowgun down in Research and Development.

            It is to the recommendations for projects that she goes to first.  Having always been a science fiction buff, she takes in the information from their resident super-genius first, wrapping her brain around the sheer wonders their prize-catch has thought up.

            Her intercom crackles, revealing the voice of her secretary, as a single light flashes on her phone.

            "_Ms. Light, there's a call for you on line 3._"

            "Thank you, Debbie.  Is it visual?"

            "_Just audio._"

            Roll nods, turning to the phone and taking the cordless receiver from its charger, clicking it on the specific line and bringing it to her ear.  She locks the phone between her head and shoulder, leaning on it to keep it in place as she begins half-reading through a proposal for transporter-gates.

            "This is Miss Light.  How can I help you?"

            "_Miss?  I thought you'd be married by now, sis._"

            Dropping the folder, her eyes go wide at the instant recognition of the rough, cheerful voice on the other end of the line.

            "Blues," she whispers, "Blues, is that you?  Where are you?"

            "_In an apartment on 58th and Seventh in __New York City__.  I need you to come down here._"

            "What's happened," she demands, her voice becoming more and more urgent as she talks, "Blues, what's happened?  What's wrong?!"

            "_I'll give you a long version.  Megaman X has activated, and I have him here in my apartment.  On second thought, bring Dr. Light's daughter and Zero with you, to.  I'll see you then._"

            Roll screams her brother's name into the phone, before hearing the click and the dial tone.  Holding it cautiously, as if just staring at it again could connect her with her brother again, she quickly slams the phone back into its cradle.

            And pushing out of her chair, she runs to the door, swinging it open and running past her bewildered secretary and down the hall.

            Blues, known to the world at large as Protoman, hangs up the phone on its wall mount, turning back to the living room of the Manhattan apartment.

            It is large, spacious, the living room itself the size of a two room apartment in cheaper parts of the city.  The rug is freshly lain beneath his feet, the living room table in front of the white leather couch authentic oak.  Music is in the air, coming from the wooden piano at the window corner, keys played by the figure, and owner of the apartment.

            Tall, handsome, in a silk blue shirt and black jeans.  Silver-black hair falling to the base of his neck, with two violet bangs falling on either side of the center part.

            "So, how is she?" he asks, as he finishes a rendition of one of his original compositions.

            "I didn't ask," Blues responds, as his host begins playing again, "She answers the phone as Miss Light, meaning at least she's not married."

            The rendition ends with his fingers slamming clumsily into the keys.

            "Now that's interesting," Blues says, "Or is that one of your new works?"

            "Shut up, Blues," he growls, "Shouldn't you be checking on your baby brother?"

            "I don't need to bottle-feed him, Bass.  He's absorbing as much info as he can from your library.  If he has any questions, he can ask me."

            He scans the look on his friend's face.  Of anticipation mixed with frustration and longing.

            "It's true, then," he states, "Twelve years ago…"

            "Stop it."

            With a growl, Bass rises, walking from the piano and towards the door leading from the living room to the kitchen.

            "At Dr. Light's grandson's Bar Mitzvah," Blues continues, "Am I right?  Or have you two had…?"

            "Incidents."

            "_Incidents_ since then?"

            Bass pauses, his hand on the kitchen door.  Looking down, looking away from Blues, he grits his teeth, biting his lip as he tries to think up a sharp retort…and fails.

            "When they arrive, I hope you don't mind if I'm not here," he says, "I'm going to see if Treble wants to go for a walk."

            He walks through the doorway, the tell-tale clicking and creaking from another door telling Blues that Bass has left the apartment, the sound of heavy footsteps next to him telling him that the dog, to, has left.

            Leaving the prototype alone with the prototype.  Sitting on the couch, folding together his fingers in front of him, he lets himself drift off into a meditative trance…

            And does not act in the least bit surprised when a portal of swirling energy appears before him, and a man steps out.

            A two winged, arrowhead-shaped jet lifts off from the nearest airport to Tokyo, flying over the Pacific Ocean as it accelerates past Mach 1 for the trans-ocean voyage.

            It is called a Lockhawk, one of the joint projects that Sarah Cole, one of the passengers in the cabin, developed.  In particular, this one was developed as a charter jet for herself, her husband, and the top brass of her company for when it is needed.

            Sarah Cole has often been told she looks like her father.  While that doesn't mean she's stout or has his beard, it means she has his eyes.  Not just the hazel color, but the workings behind it, an ever-active intelligence that takes in everything they see, with ideas pumping into her brain concerning every detail.

            While fifty years old, healthy living and other factors keep her looking years younger, keeping trim and fit to the point where some tell her that she looks like Roll's older sister.  Mainly taken as a compliment, the sight of her 'sister' half sleeping, half passed out on one of the cabin's couches makes her wonder.

            She watches as Zero drapes a blanket over Roll, walking over to one of the recliners on the opposite side of the cabin's main round low table.

            "She's exhausted," Sarah says, "Do you know what we're doing?"

            "I heard Blues called her, and told her to bring me and you to New York, Professor," her assistant responds, "She didn't say why."

            "I imagine she didn't…she ran into you and Iris on the way to see me.  How are things going between you two?"

            The resulting silence is all the answer she needs.

            "You know why I made Iris, right?" she asks.

            "Yes…because…"

            "Because it was too late for me to have any more children, and I wanted Bobby to have a sister.  I know she gets on your nerves…"

            "She goes…out of her way to…"

            "To pester you.  I know.  But she is my creation, she's…my daughter.  I guess that's how my father saw Roll, Blues, and Rock.  And you."

            "I wish I remembered," Zero says with a sigh, "Where you like that when you were her age?  I mean, like Iris?"

            "Of course I wasn't."

            Sarah gives off a smile, chuckling.

            "I was only like that to my husband."

            Zero makes a sound between a groan and a whimper, holding his head in his hands.

            "We're going to New York for a reason," Sarah says, her smile disappearing, "We're going to meet my father's last creation.  And if I we have the time, I'm going to check up on my son.  I hope I don't interrupt one of his classes but…I don't get to get out of Tokyo that often anymore."

            "Well, I'm sure thing'll work out," Zero says with an optimistic smile, "After all…what could happen?"

            "What could happen…" Sarah repeats, and sighs, "What could happen, indeed…"

            The man is eight and a half feet tall, shoulders as broad as a normal car, his loose-hinged jaw hidden under the high collar of his trench coat.

            He sits at a table with three others, all of whom know who and what he is, dealing cards to them as they begin placing their bets.

            "So, what've you been doing this week?" one of the others, a dark-skinned, lanky asian man dressed in black asks.

            "Oh, same old same old Shadow," he responds in a robotic voice, "Checking up on the Boss, setting up jobs.  Heard Blues was in town, but hasn't looked me up so I don't think we have to worry."

            "I wouldn't bet on that, Gutsman."

            Gutsman turns, as do the others, to the open doorway of the smoke-filled bar.  Standing, silhouetted in the doorway's light, is a man cloaked in shadows…with glowing violet eyes.

            "Boss!" Gutman exclaims, "What'cha doing down here this time'a day?"

            "Seeking you out," he responds, "I have a job for you, Gutsman.  And it won't be pretty…"


	3. Old Reunions

Old Reunion, New Headaches

________________________

            The 'Incident'.

            That is their family code phrase for what happened twelve years earlier, at Robert jr's Bar Mitzvah, his thirteen-year old coming of age according to tradition.  It is their code phrase for the event, the singular event in their long campaign to set up Roll with someone, anyone, to the point where Sarah has started to consider dropping the condition of her mate being bipedal.

            The Incident began at the entrance to the club the Coles had rented out for their friends and family.  Artificial and otherwise.

            It started with six individuals walking through the club's double doors.  When the people near the entrance saw them, they knew it was probably because of a mistake in the mail.  First, there was _him._  Tall, handsome, silver-black hair with purple bangs and dressed in fine-tailored dark gray suit.

            He looked like a hitman.  And behind him was his posse.

            Before anyone else, the people noticed Gutsman.  A massive figure who could probably have fit any single party guest in his pocket.  Next to him was Shadow Man, who outside of his ninja regalia looked absolutely human, save for his being double jointed.  This was obvious because he kept bending his entire hand against his forearm out of habit.

            Then there was Bomb Man.  He alone was a reason they weren't invited to many parties.  His look was toned down.  His skin was still yellow but his red hair was grown out.  But it didn't help that he kept looking for something combustible.

            To make matters worse, they also brought along Sword Man.

            Rounding out the group was Top Man.  Short, hyperactive, and held in place from spinning like his namesake, out of his suit, and streaking the entire party by Gutsman's brute strength alone.

            "Wow," was Bass's first observation, "They…didn't spare an expense here."

            "Yep," Gutsman responds, heavily smacking Bass on the shoulder with his free hand, "What'cha wanna do first, kid?"

            "I'll scout ahead!" Sword Man announces.

            His legs became rigid, and his top half, still in his buttoned shirt and black jacket, began to rise from his bottom half.  Until Bass grabbed him and forced him back onto his waste-mount, and turned his head with enough force to crack something until they could see eye-to-eye.

            "No!" Bass growled, "No!  No…levitating!  No flame sword!"

            He turned to Bomb Man.

            "No blowing things up!"

            He turned to Shadow Man.

            "No killing people from the shadows!"

            He turned to Top Man.

            "No…no…ah hell.  Let's get the little midget drunk."

            "Sounds like a plan!" Gutsman bellowed.

            The group began to walk towards the club's bar, lights flashing at the dance floor as music no doubt picked by a thirteen year old plays.

            A small distance from the bar, Bass saw her.

            In a white sweater and long black skirt, hair the color of flaxen amber in a loose ponytail.  She hadn't seen him yet, and it had been a good year since they even talked on the phone…and when she saw him, her blue eyes met his dark purple eyes, and she waved.

            He returned the greeting, stopping in his tracks, as did his compatriots…except for Sword Man's legs, which kept going.

            Shrieking, Bass lunged, grabbing the legs by the ankles and he brought them down.  Dragging the lower half back to the upper half, he slammed Sword Man's upper half down onto his waist, and turned him under they heard a click.

            "Ow!" the fencer-bot yelled, "It doesn't screw in, you idiot!"

            The inevitable argument was ended by Gutsman punching Sword Man in the face.  Which left the problem of an unconscious Sword Man.

            "What the _HELL _was that for?!"

            "I had to stick up for ya, kid," Gutsman said in his best 'old sage' voice, "Now go over there and talk to Roll.  I'll keep the posse in line."

            This, as they say, is where it got interesting.

            A more detailed explanation of the pre-'Incident' conversation can come up when required.  What is known, what is common knowledge, is that shortly after Bass walked over to Roll and they began talking, Zero was hurled by Gutsman at the dance floor.

            There was an explanation about 'no one said I couldn't toss' and 'he needed incentive' but the end result of the commotion was the nearby Sarah Light being tackled by her husband for fear of her safety, and her drink, a red wine, flying through the air and impacting on Roll's sweater.

            Apologies turned into a scolding by Robert sr. and Sarah of not setting ground rules for such a massive danger.  Those turned into Roll berating her sister and brother in law for yelling when no one was hurt, and Robert's over reaction staining her new sweater.  That lead to Bass piping up and yelling at, in turn, Gutsman for tossing, Zero for being an easy target, Robert for not being used to this by now, and Roll…

            Well, Roll belted him.  That killed the music quick.  Robert jr, always a smart kid, got the DJ to focus the spotlight on his Aunt.  He passed it off as part of the night's entertainment.  He took the microphone, made it into a joke, and dragged them onto the dance floor.  He was beaming with pride.

            They, on the other hand, were fuming.

            "This is your fault," she said with gritted teeth.

            "My fault?  Your brother in law practically tossed that drink at you."

            "I didn't bring along the amateur dwarf-tosser."

            "He's five foot ten.  He's not a dwarf.  He just lets everyone push him around.  I swear to God, he has to get balls at some point…"

            "You brought a ninja, a fencer, a psychopathic arsonist slash arsenal, and a speed-using midget.  This is your fault."

            "You invited me."

            "Yeah.  We had room since we couldn't find Blues.  And Rush couldn't attend."

            This was, for the image's sake, during a waltz.  If one looked closely, they could see muscles straining as they turned the tradition holds of the dance into death-grips.  They say the sexual tension between the two was so thick in the air that day it distorted the laser-lights.

            Her hand on his shoulder at some point in their argument had placed itself on the back of his head.  Presumably, for extra leverage by grabbing his hair.  They continued arguing in whispers and growls, the music playing just loud enough for no one to hear, and simply watch…

            Until finally, the argument reached a climax (and some say, so did Roll) and the two broke their dance, standing off in a way reminiscent of Bass and Roll's departed brother during one of their battles.

            "I shouldn't have even brought your name up!"

            "And I should have burned that invitation the moment I saw it, put the ashes in a pile, and let Treble _pee_ on them!"

            "Right, bring Treble's genitals into this argument!  They probably come up enough in your real life!"

            "And you're hoarding this party to make up for the fact that you don't even have a boyfriend!  Live it up, Roll, and remember to be extra kind to your little robotic zoo to make up for your barren womb!"

            "Idiot jackass!"

            "Judgmental bitch!"

            The two stared off, the entire club silent as they watched in anticipation.  They say there were bets by the bar, on who would change to their arm-cannon first and open fire…

            But then…but then, it would be written in legend.  He grabbed her, and she grabbed him by the collar and they kissed.  Not romantic.  Violent, starved, like they were trying to suck the air out of the other's lungs and win the argument via suffocation.

            It was, to Robert jr, information he could pass on to his health class the next year.  Zero, having regained his balance, was watching with a floored open jaw.  Sarah was watching in a mix of horror and happiness.  Robert sr. was wondering what the Hell happened.  And the silence was broken by Gutsman, who pumped his fists into the air, and yelled,

            "_Mazel__ tov!_"

            They say he already had a few drinks in him by then.

            The kiss ended.  It was one single, long, three minute kiss, filled with mutterings, surprised groans, and an embrace which resembled an ancient Greek wrestling hold.  As the kiss ended, his hands on her waist and her shoulder, hers on the back of his head and his collar, the two stared into each other's eyes with a mix of confusion, desire, and raw heat completely inappropriate to be displaying in front of her nephew.

            "I need to clean this stain," she breathed.

            "I have a hotel room upstairs," he said, "It has a washing machine."

            "Good enough."

            They broke the embrace.  Bass laid down the rules to his posse, especially about throwing Zero, and said he had to check on Treble.  Roll told Sarah she had to freshen up.  They left.  Though different exits, he through the main entrance, she through the exit to the rest room.

            No one saw them for an hour and a half.  And at that point, they were just avoiding each other.  And her sweater was spotless.

            This leads us to today.  Roll is the first to walk into the apartment building, into its lobby.  Looking around, seeing the marble pillars lining the lobby, the reception desk with well-paid, trained receptionists, she knows it is not the hovel she expected her brother to be living in.

            The plane ride took four hours.  Customs and the like took one, due to Sarah's influence, and it took them another hour to find the building…and now none of the three know where to go from here, because a clue Blues did not give them was an apartment number, or which of his many assumed names he was living under.

            Zero screaming snaps Roll and Sarah out of their musings.  They turn, to see a large, blue, comically fat bird taking up a perch on an astonished Zero's extended arm.  The bird squawks, flapping its wings upon seeing Roll.

            "Beat!"

            The bird whistles in responds, taking off towards the elevator and dragging Zero with him.

            "Follow the bird!" Roll yells…and Sarah places a gentle hand on her shoulder.

            "Let's not get into a children's show mentality, shall we?"

            She begins calmly walking after the bird and its screaming prisoner, to the elevator, and towards the floor that the bird somehow pushed the button for.

            Unsurprisingly, Rock's clothes fit X perfectly.  It added to the feeling of unease and familiarity Blues had around his new little brother, more so than his prodigy-level intelligence and near-perfect recall after going through the apartment's formidable library.

            And now X stands in the living room of the apartment, clad in the khaki shorts and blue t-shirt Blues got out of storage.  Looking like Rock aged a few years…but with complete naïveté and innocence where a war-torn fatigue would have been.

            Blues doesn't turn as the apartment door opens.  He merely steps aside, letting the three travelers gaze upon his guest…and Roll reacts first, gasping.

            "My God," she says, "He…he looks like Rock's twin."

            "Yeah," Blues says with a somber tone, "I figured it out.  Like Dr. Light created reploid bodies for us, X here was meant to be Rock's…but Rock isn't here anymore.  So he's a blank slate."

            He turns to Roll, placing a calming hand on her shoulder.  Motioning her forward, she stands in front of X, who looks her over, examining her like every bit of data he has consumed in the past few hours.

            "Roll?" he asks.

            "Yes.  I'm Roll.  Your sister."

            X smiles like a small child, and extends his hand.

            "Good to meet you."

            As Roll meets her newest sibling for the first time, Sarah turns to Blues, looking him up and down, and then into his red-blue eyes.

            "So you are Protoman," she states.

            "Yes.  You must be Dr. Light's daughter.  You've brought along Zero like I asked, good."

            "And why did you ask?  I doubt it was just for the courtesy of us all meeting X at once."

            "Perceptive," Blues says with a smile, "The same small paranoia the Doctor had.  I have been out of touch for the past few years.  There is a reason for that."

            "But…you're doing pretty well," Zero chimes in, looking about the apartment, at the luxuries present as he walks towards the piano, "If you can afford this apartment."

            Blues chuckles, folding his hands behind his back.

            "In truth, it's not mine.  The apartment belongs to-"

            "It belongs to me."

            Standing in the doorway, the purple-armored wolf-hound tensing, rearing back and growling, Bass closes the door behind him.  He turns to Treble, lowing his hand and causing the hound to relax.

            In that time they all turned to see him.  Blues with a hint of amusement.  Zero with a good amount of nervousness.  Sarah with an amount of trepidation.  And Roll…

            Roll looks at him, eyes wide, standing protectively in front of X.

            "I thought you'd be out," Blues states.

            "I changed my mind," Bass responds, "Hello, Mrs. Cole.  Hello, little brother."

            Smiling faintly, he walks to Roll, placing his hands on her shoulders and moving her aside.

            "Don't worry," he says, "I gave Blues permission to keep X here.  If we could move this out of my apartment, I made us a reservation at a restaurant nearby so we could figure out what we're doing with our newest guest."

            Zero shrugs, walking out the door along with Sarah.  Blues smirks, motioning X over and leaves the apartment, Treble trailing behind, leaving Roll and Bass…

            And before Bass can speak, she turns to him, sharply glaring at him.

            "What are you planning?" she demands.

            "Planning?  Me?" he innocently asks, "I simply wanted to change the setting.  I have _nothing_ planned."

            He smiles, warmly, placing his hands on hers, their eyes meeting as he folds his hands around hers…and she pulls her hands free, stepping back from him and averting her gaze.

            "Don't…just don't start," she says, "I'm here to pick up my brother and head back to Japan."

            "It's been twelve years."

            "It should be longer.  I'm sorry, Bass."

            "So am I.  Last time I…messed up.  I admit it.  If there's time, later…can we talk?"

            "Maybe," she says, walking past him to the door, "Maybe."

            Robert Cole, jr, New York City resident and student of psychology at the New School, ends his day of classes in a set, predetermined way.  He makes a ten minute trek to the condo his parents have rented out to him, says hello to his landlady, checks his physical mail, and relaxes on his couch with his laptop while checking his e-mail.  This does not, at any point, involve him screaming.

            Today was different.

            Today ended with the relatively handsome, somewhat overweight, glasses wearing black haired young man screaming as he read an email.  One from his mother.  One saying that she would be in New York City in four hours.  Dated from four hours ago.

            Yawning, a blonde haired young man around Robert's age peaks his head out of one of the side rooms, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

            "Dan!  Up, NOW!  Quick!" Robert screams at his room mate.

            "Say what?" the half-awake native New Yorker groans, "Jeez, anyone tell you you scream like a girl?"

            "My mother is coming here."

            Daniel Masterson, Robert's room mate of two years, snaps awake at the sound of those words.

            "Shit.  You mean Chi Chi?"

            "The same."

            "Give me a minute.  I'll get the vacuum, you clean up the beer cans.  We coordinate and we can have this-"

            A heavy, booming sound echoes.  The sound of the door knocker being used.  At which point the two friends, long used to being able to pick up each other's thoughts, speak at the same time.

            "Ah, crap."

            Robert waves off his room mate, walking to the door.  Not bothering to peak through the one-way peek hole, he turns the knob, expecting the worst…

            And finds something far different.

            "Hello, Robert Cole junior," the british-accented voice on the other side of the doorway says, "I believe it is time we discussed your future."


	4. The Union of Light and Dark

The Union of Light and Dark

_________________________

            The southern part of the Korean Penninsula, around that time.

            One of the more interesting revelations to the first androids was that Thomas Xavier Light was not the only Light.  In addition to his wife, he had a cousin twenty years his junior, Brian Alexander Light.  Instead of a roboticist, this mirror image today of the famous professor was an archeologist.

            And before him stands the find of a lifetime.

            "Tell me," he says, stroking his full gray beard, "What are we looking at?"

            Next to him, his assistant, a dark-skinned man in his thirties named Colin Xander, folds his arms.

            And before them, and their astonished crew, embedded in the wall of a cave measured at over five thousands years old and untouched by human hands in that long…is a machine.

            Eighty feet tall.  Polished black and violet metal makes up its skin, with two silver plates on its chest.  It is humanoid, four fingers and a thumb on each hand, two legs and two arms.  A single thick spike comes up from each shoulder like a wing, what they carry concealed by the rock.

            And then there is the head.  Two dull green eyes, vents for steam to escape, a spike rising up from its brow…and a mouth.  It has a mouth, closed, disguised as a grill…but where the parts lay, they can see the teeth.

            "If I didn't know better," Colin responds, "I would say we're looking at the tomb of a God."

            "Not a God.  A Slayer of a God."

            The two turn, as bands of violet energy surround the other workers in the excavation site, and then them, wrapping around their wrists and their legs.  And in a small display of energy and light, a man appears.

            His face concealed by the high closed collar, his only revealed features spiky raven hair and dark blue eyes, he is tall, clad in a buttoned blue tunic and black loose pants, high laced boots with lettering in a language neither of them had seen before running up his legs.  Opening his floor-length cloak, spreading out his arms and opening gloved, glowing hands, he chuckles.

            "Ladies and Gentlemen," he says, "I am the Walker.  And I do believe this wonderful find you've made is now mine."

            He walks past Light and his assistant, fumes of energy rising off his form…and stops, turning to Light and looking him in the eyes.

            "They were right," he says with a smile, "You look just like him."

            Laughing to himself, he rises into the air, flying without any means technological towards the embedded machine.  Stopping a short distance from the head, he extends his glowing hand…and the green eyes light up, a rumble escaping which in retrospect they would try to blame on the engines starting up…but deep down, they knew the machine was…growling.

            "Welcome back to the world of the living, O Vessel for the Slayer of God," Walker says, "I am your new master.  In service for freedom, you shall be my Angel of Death."

            He crosses his arms, and violently, swiftly spreads them out…and in response, the rock wall holding the machine shatters.  Thrusting out its arms and legs, the mecha tilts back its head…and six emerald wings of light appear from the shoulder armor.

            The machine stands upright.  Steam escapes the grills on its face and chest, as it bows to one knee in front of the Walker.

            "I will be going now," he says, turning to the stunned crowd, "And in case you want to report what has been stolen…my new pet is called Weltall."

            He laughs, tendrils of energy surrounding him and the Weltall, flashing, blinding the humans…and when the light clears, Walker and the machine are gone.

            One hand picks up the small car, and with a grunt, Gutsman hurls it at X…and sees it blown out of the air by blasts from Zero, Bass, Blues, and Roll.

            Gutsman's thoughts wander from 'I didn't know Roll sported an arm cannon' to 'Aw, crud.  Now they're gonna beat the crap outta me.'  With a sigh, he holds up his hands as the four aim their cannons at them, the normal New York crowd clearing the street as what resembles a Wild West showdown begins.

            "Ah, poop," Gutsman mutters, "Boss never told me all'a you'd be here."

            The hovercars and air-taxies continue overhead.  A bead of sweat rolls down Bass's brow.  Blues hears the small scratching as someone's foot moves across pavement…

            And Bass turns his plasma buster from Gutsman to X.

            "Guts, get out of here!" he snaps, "I'll do it myself!"

            His clothes glow, replaced with his black and gunmetal gray battle armor, his finned helmet appearing on his head as a charge of plasma accumulates inside the barrel of his cannon…before Roll pushes X aside, aiming her cannon at Bass's head.

            "That's enough, you backstabbing bastard," she growls, "What the Hell do you think you're doing?!"

            "Saving our lives," he snaps, "X has the chance of succeeding where Zero failed forty years ago.  I am not risking our lives like that!"

            "You want to kill him…you'll have to get past me."

            Blues places his hand on Zero's shoulder, pulling him back to X and Sarah.

            "Let them," he says, "They won't kill each other.  They need to get this out into the open."

            "You're sure about that?" Zero asks.

            "Sure enough."

            A light runs out from the barrel of the blue and white arm cannon, running over Roll.  When it ceases, her clothes have been replaced by a dark blue bodysuit with solid armor on her lower legs, chest, and lower arms, shoulders flared, a brace around her waist.  In short, a female version of X's armor.

            "Damn it," Bass growls, "I don't want to have to fight you.  I'm trying to save your life."

            "It doesn't work that way," Roll responds, "I won't let someone die just so I can live.  Especially my brother."

            "Fine then.  If I have to put you out of commission for this, then fine."

            He turns to the alleyway near the apartment building, and sees the glint of purple.

            "Treble!  Combine!"

            Before Roll can get a bead, the hound runs from the alley, leaping on Bass…and merges with him.  Gunmetal armor becomes violet.  Wings sprout from his back.  Purple flames rise from him, his power tripling as claws cover his fingers and talons cover his feet.  And an oversized cannon forms on his arm, as he floats inches off the ground and aims it at Roll.

            And roaring in frustration, he takes off, into the air-traffic above.

            "Stay here!" Roll shouts "I'll take him!  Hyper Force Armor, ACTIVATE!"

            Her armor glows, the solid metal sections replaced by black armor, gold highlights flaring out like claws.  A black helmet with gold extensions forms on her head, a visor covering her eyes as she begins tracking Bass…and clad in the Ultimate Armor, she surrounds herself with a plasma aura, and blasts off after her foe.

            Walking over, hands up, Gutsman smiles as well as he can, considering his lower jaw in inflexible metal.

            "Sorry 'bout that," he says, "I was told to pulverize an android.  Never told who it was and I'd run into you guys.  No hard feelings?"

            "None," Blues responds, holding up his hand to silence the others, "What do you think?"

            "About Roll and Bass?  Hope they find a secluded rooftop to fight on or they'll get hit with a public indecency charge when they start making out."

            In full Nova Crash mode, Roll slams shoulder-first into Bass's back, sending him flying through the air, past swerving air-traffic and embedding him head-first into a passing hover-freighter.

            Gripping the metal underside of the unmanned transport, he pulls his head out, looking down and seeing a pissed-off Roll flying towards him.

            He charges towards her, intending for his punch to miss her face and hit a power relay in the armor's shoulder…and she drives her first into his face, loosening teeth and giving him enough pause for her to score a point blank energy blast on him, sending him hurtling down.

            Bouncing off a hover-taxi and sending it veering off course, he slams into the roof of a low-rise apartment building, climbing back onto his feet as Roll lands.

            He holds up his hand, Treble disengaging, stumbling around before falling unconscious with a whimper.  Roll stares at the unconscious dog…and shrieks as Bass dashes towards her, grabbing her by the arms and flipping her onto her back.  He pins her with superior strength, gritting his teeth…and yelps in surprise when her own dash boots activate and she skids across the roof, flipping back up and firing off plasma blasts at him.

            Quickly aiming his arm cannon, he shoots down the plasma bursts, leaping towards her, closing the distance with her as he knocks away her cannon, grabbing at her arm…and she spins, hooking her foot on his face and driving him into the roof.

            He holds up a hand, his screams muffled by the pavement as he pulls his face from the indentation on the cement, Roll holding her arm-cannon at him as he skitters away and rolls onto his back.

            "You're nuts, you know that?!" Bass demands, "Damn it, I think you loosened half my teeth!"

            "Then give me a good shot and I'll do the rest," she growls, "Manipulative son of a bitch."

            "And you're just a _crazy_ bitch!" Bass growls back, "And don't you blame this on me!  You saw what Zero was supposed to do!  I was trying to protect you!"

            Roll smirks, placing her free hand on the arm-cannon barrel.

            "As you can see, that's not necessary."

            "Watching those two's like watching the beginning of a porno movie."

            Zero nods agreement with Gutsman's pronouncement, as they watch the battle between the two go from roof top to roof top, blasts of plasma and a flurry of blows exchanged between them, usually ending with some sort of perverse grappling.

            "Never knew sis had it in her," Gutsman says, "You know Roll's my big sister, right?"

            Zero looks to Blues, who nods confirmation as the grappling battle, snarling, yelling battle begins to draw closer to them.

            "I understand why Bass did that," Zero says, looking to X, who's talking with Sarah away from them, "Is he your Boss?"

            "Naw.  Boss's someone different.  We don't involve Bass, especially if we're gonna hook him up with Roll.  And we're gonna, too.  Those two make a cute couple, and it's actually pretty funny when they go for each other's throats."

            The battle has gone from arguments to Roll throttling Bass in such a way that it looks like she's straddling him, screaming epithets at each other that, in Gutsman's words, 'Hide the real love blooming underneath.'  He said that shortly before the battle brought them down to the street, the bystanders having long since run away for fear of their own lives.

            "And I think this has gone on far enough," Blues says, "We have an important mission to accomplish.  This fight's over."

            "And how do you suggest we stop it?!" Zero demands, gesturing towards them, "We get between them and we're in traction!"

            Gold light snakes out of Blues' palm, coiling around his forearm.

            "Like this," he says, extending his hand towards the combatants, "_Quenos__ idolo ideldie dai ser Lyarr._"

            A burst of wind separates Bass and Roll, holding them suspended in the air.  Protoman gestures forward and the two are brought before him, looking at him with a mix of confusion and astonishment, as is Zero and Gutsman, his jaw literally on the ground.

            "What the Hell was that," Bass asks.

            "Wind magic.  Sylph based.  Now that I have your attention, I need to tell you that-"

            "HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO MAGIC?!" Zero shrieks.

            The energy-tendrils disappear, as Blues holds his face in his hand.

            "I'd like to know that myself," a British-accented voice says, "I haven't taught you Sylph magic yet, Blues."

            A pinprick of light manifests before them, and turns into a swirling portal of gold and green.  Stepping out from it is a middle aged man in a brown business suit, a royal blue cloak falling over his shoulders.  He smiles, genuinely, with gentility, walking over to Blues and walking around him as the others stare in a new level of stupor.

            "I do believe you have been reading through my texts again," the man says with a small chuckle, "This is them?  They're gathered?"

            "As well as we can, Master," Blues responds.

            The man nods, turning from Blues to the others.  And clearing his throat, his folds his hands behind him and frowns.

            "My name is Theadore Titenin," he says, "I am the Grand Magus, mystic protector of this world.  Blues, for the past thirty years, has been my apprentice.  And there is a threat coming, and I will need all your help to stop it."


	5. The Coming Darkness

The Coming Darkness

___________________

            "So there they are.  They look so different…but I know every one of them.  So many people on this world…and it should never have been."

            Hands tented in front of his face, the Walker floats in the ether that he calls his home.  Behind him, the towering Weltall waits for an order from its master…and the master that lies inside it.

            "This is enough," the Walker says, "Enough of this abomination.  Come.  Let us end it, and wipe it clean from the Omniverse."

            It begins in Times Square.

            The indentations appear in the ground, foot prints of a massive beast…and then the metal feet appear, the light trailing up to reveal the rest of the metal giant.

            Arms tightly crossed over its hunched face and chest, a slow, mechanical growl escapes with the hiss of steam from the chest and head vents.  Snapping its arms out, one fist slamming into the Jumbotron, four wings of green energy snap out with such force that glass cracks in the buildings surrounding it.

            "People of Earth!" a voice announces, "Look upon me and despair!"

            "He's here," Protoman says.

            Titenin nods, summoning a spellbook in his right hand, an amulet in his left.  Roll turns from the metal giant to her brother and his mentor.

            "Who is?"

            "Someone very bad," Protoman responds, "Someone we hoped was just a rumor…"

            With an explosion of violet light and a rush of air, the floating figure of the Walker appears above his robot servant.  Eyes glowing behind his glasses, lines of power covering his eyes and face, he floats above the populace.

            "I am He Who Walks Between Time and Space like a God," he bellows, "Know that in the eyes of the One who Stands Above All, your very existence is an abomination, one that I have come to correct!  My legions are many!  My power is vast!  Look upon the face of your savior and know that your end has come!"

            Hands glowing with power, he extends his arms outward, forming a dome around Manhattan.

            "This shall be the first example of my power," he whispers, "Weltall.  Wipe them out.  All of them."

            There is hesitation in the movement of the giant, before its hand snaps out and shatters the top half of an entire building, its eyes glowing like emeralds in a fire.  It begins walking like a classic movie monster, lurching forward as the landscape seems to devastate itself in its passing, its very presence ripping up pavement and reducing streets to rubble.

            Weltall pauses in mid step, red flame surrounding it like an aura, half of Times Square lurching backwards in its presence.  Its chest glows, green light lurching from it…

            Giving it enough pause for a blast from the now-flying Roll and Bass to impact, ripping metal and causing the giant to lurch back.

            "Keep it busy!" Protoman yells, teleporting atop the ruined Jumbotron with Zero, "We'll deal with the Walker!"

            Upon hearing his name, the villain turns.  Leveling his gaze onto Protoman, their eyes meet…and Protoman scowls, forming a circular, gold-lined shield on his amulet bearing arm.

            "How far you've fallen," Protoman says, "And to think I looked up to you."

            "We all make mistakes," Walker responds, "Letting me live this long was yours.  Sadly, a fatal one to."

            The Walker extends a hand towards them, and a blast of violet force strikes out, blasting apart the screen and ruining much of the building behind it, but not before the two could leap off.

            Zero leaps towards Walker, grabbing the hilt on the back of his now-revealed crimson and black armor, yanking it out and revealing the green beam sabre…

            And Walker snaps out his hand, a silver-black hilt falling from his sleeve into his right gloved hand, and igniting into a blue energy blade.

            "You first," Walker says, flying through the air at Zero, swinging into the blocking blade…and hitting air as Zero disappears in a flash of magic.

            Walker scowls, turning as Protoman floats out of the smoke and debris, arms out and blazing with power.

            "Your quarrel is with me," Protoman says, "Boy."

            "Whatever you say, old man."

            White magic clashes against ebon power, lighting the sky over Manhattan and ripping swaths into the ground below.  Spells are cast, curses roared, as the apprentice of the Magus battles against the time-walker.

            Through the smoke and debris, through the blinding light, the globes of force press against each other, as neither gives nor takes quarter, seeing each other only through a haze of hate…

            The eyes of Weltall glow once more, the giant levitating as Roll and Bass fly circles around it, blasts of plasma rending armor which instantly fixes itself, their speed-blitzes doing little but make it tilt.

            "This is insane!" Bass yells, "This thing is like Gamma!"

            "And frontal assaults never worked on that thing, from what Rock told me," Roll responds, "The head!  You focus on one eye, I focus on the other!  If it's blinded, we can concentrate on finding a real weakness!"

            Bass nods his agreement, flying in an ascending circle around the now statuesquely still beast, Roll taking off in a Nova crash under its arm and rising up to its face…

            And the center of its face grill parts, steam hissing out, a slow rumble coming from deep within…

            "Dear God, what are you," she whispers, "Bass…what is this thing?"

            "Don't think, just shoot!"

            Bass pushes her aside, phased plasma charging for a moment in his right arm cannon before firing off like a lance into one of the glowing green eyes.  Glass shatters, optics burn as the blast flies in the eye and out the back of the head…

            And the Weltall screams.

            Zero appears on the roof of an apartment building within seeing distance of the battle.  He turns, as Sarah, Titenin, Gutsman, and X appear in a similar burst of magical light.

            "Good," Theadore says, walking past the confused Zero, "Blues teleported you here.  The plan is going well enough."

            Zero turns back to the battle as Weltall's scream echoes…and shudders at the sudden chill.

            "My God…that thing's alive, isn't he?"

            "In a definition, yes.  With luck, Blues can best the Walker…but if not, I have activated my trump card."

            "No," Sarah says, marching over to Titenin and grabbing his shoulder, "Tell me you were joking.  Tell me that is a sick joke!"

            "I am afraid it is not.  It is time.  The Cycle is coming to a close.  Sooner or later he has to face his destiny."

            Grabbing her hand and taking it from his arms, for a brief moment his eyes glow a soft blue.

            "Now is as good a time as any."

            The Walker's gauntleted hands have wrapped around his throat, Blues realizes a moment after it happens.  The Walker, despite a lower level of skill, is exponentially his superior in terms of raw power…and he simply strode through the magick shields set up to repel him.

            "Let me tell you what I will do," he says, "I will squeeze.  And squeeze.  Until the life fades from your eyes, and then I will erect your broken body as a monument to warn people of the perils of defying me.  Can you hear me, old man?"

            "Well…enough…"

            His right hand collapses into his wrist.  Bringing his arm cannon up, a blast of white plasma expels itself into the Walker's face…and does nothing.

            "Plasma?" the Walker asks with a laugh, "You old fart, I could EAT THE SUN."

            Raising one hand high, violet energy gathers at his fingers.

            "Let's start with the eyes."

            The Walker brings down his hand to strike…and a pillar of blue light rises the Upper East Side of Manhattan.  Absently, the Walker drops Protoman, who's teleported away in a magick nimbus by his mentor…

            And he scowls, narrowing his eyes.

            Zero catches Blues as he falls from the portal to them, laying him on the ground.

            "No shame, son," Titenin says, crouching next to his apprentice, "The Walker cannot be beaten by force…at least, not yet, not by you."

            Smiling, the wizard stands, turning to the pillar of light…

            "What is that?" X asks, tilting his head in confusion.

            "Tell me to," Gutsman says, scratching his head, "Not to be a downer, but any chance we're surviving this?"

            "Very high chances right now.  The Templar Knight has awoken."

            Turning with a flourish, gold trims manifest on Titenin's cloak…and he grins, an amulet appearing on his clasp and in both hands.

            "Now, as our new ally faces the Walker, shall we get to my master stroke?"

            The sky scorches in his wake.

            The ground rumbles as he passes, emblazoned by the same energy that makes the pillar.

            He is a blue and black blur.  Aloft on wings of azure light, flying high in the air, he bears down on the Walker.

            A figure, tall and built, clad in blue armor and black mail, the light reflecting off the metal of his torso, lower arms, legs and flared shoulders.  On his high-set, emotionless face, twin lines of black like tears trail from his eyes to his cheek, his long black ponytail set in place by a blue, gem adorned headband.

            "The Soul Blazer," the Walker says, "We meet at last."

            "And you're the Walker," the new arrival says in a deep, reverberating voice, "Let's dance.  I'll lead."

            "Another cliché.  God, I feet young again!"

            Igniting his beam sabre, the Walker flies at his foe, meeting a silver blade that blocks.  In a flurry of speed faster than the human eye, the battle is joined.  Blow lands against block, return parried, the only evidence of their passing the blue swaths and silver sparks.

            The Soul Blazer flies up, pointing both hands down and releasing a burst of energy.  Grinning, the Walker flickers out of existence, the blast continuing to the terrified city below…

            And the warrior brings up his hands, the blast swerving up and striking the Walker as her materializes, drawing black blood.

            "Damn you," he growls, "Well…looks like the swordfight is over."

            The beam sabre flickers away.  Flying back, the Walker swings a hand at Soul Blazer.  The invisible wave of force strikes him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him and knocking him from the air.

            "Idiot!  You may have power, but no skill!  I have had decades to hone by craft, and let me assure you that I am quite able!"

            He appears above the Soul Blazer, gathering power in his palm…and sees a glint in the Soul Blazer's eye.

            Flying like an arrow straight up, he slams shoulder first into the Walker, knocking him back through the air.  Blurring as he pours on the speed, he takes off in a burst of blue after his foe, catching him as he passes between the struggling Weltall and the watching Titenin, grabbing him by the arm and locking his arm behind him.

            "Give up!  You're out powered here!"

            The Walker growls, struggling…and he laughs.

            A globe of power appears around him, forcing Soul Blazer back.

            "Power?  You want Power, you sniveling lackey?!  Then let me show you…"

            He raises a gloved hand, runes beginning to write themselves upon its back.

            "And watch closely," he chuckles, "Because I'm only doing it once.  _My hand is the Divine Judgement.  Blossom, O Fallen Seed!  Call forth upon thy Hidden Power!_"

            Raising his free hand to the sky, a swirling mass of power, a cloud of darkness blocking out the sun appears above him as he extends his hand towards Weltall.

            "_Let the cry of the newborn Darkness echo in the Hearts of the Light…and herald the coming of the glorious MOTHER OF DESTRUCTION!_"

            The power lances out, striking Weltall.

            The machine rises into the air, arching its back…and what was blue metal becomes red.  Fingers extend into claws, green eyes turning black as night.  A sphere of green, pulsating power appears in the cavity in its torso, sheets of metal raising as spears on its knees.  Six wings of green light extend out, the very power the monster now emitting ripping up the buildings around it in a whirlwind of force, throwing Bass and Roll into the distance…

            And it roars.

            Not the mechanical roar of pain.  Not the groan of acknowledgement.

            But a high-pitched, rumbling, multi-toned roar.  Like a lion dominating a pride.  Like a dragon challenging the knights.

            Like a Prometheus unchained.

            And watching, Zero lets his mouth fall open at the sight of the crimson True Weltall…and he hears another scream.  That of a scared child, trapped against her will…

            And from inside Weltall.

            "So, you heard it," Titenin says, "Good.  You must get inside Weltall's cockpit and rescue the child, and then we can focus our attack on the Walker."

            "But…how do I get into there?" Zero asks, re-igniting his beam sabre, "I can't fly!"

            Gutsman's heavy hand falls onto the protoreploid's shoulder.

            "Thought you'd never ask."

            Screaming, Zero flies through the air, on a direct trajectory towards the beast's cockpit.

            Gathering his courage, straightening himself into a jackknife dive towards the machine now gathering its senses towards its own power, he grips the beam sabre with both hands…

            And drives it into the metal of its chest, landing on its right pectoral as the monster yells.

            Running along its chest, he runs under the glare of the two restored eyes, towards the glowing sphere…

            Or more particularly, the metal plate above it.

            The Walker has seen him, Soul Blazer intercepting him before he can give Weltall the order…and Weltall does nothing as Zero slashes the plate off, the black plate underneath sliding open upon him touching down on the small ledge…

            And revealing a naked, green haired girl, her skin pierced by crimson wires, her body shuddering from pain and fear.

            Reigniting his sabre, he slashes away the prison, lifting her up…

            And her hair swirls around her, becoming a dress…and Weltall begins to list.

            The light in its eyes fade.  The crimson metal becomes its normal black and violet.

            Leaping from the cockpit, Zero lands with the girl on the cracked roof of one of the targets of the Weltall's rage, as the demon collapses onto 5th Avenue, leaving a long trail of broken cement and dented metal where its hand drove into Sachs…and then, with a small murmur, it goes silent.

            Leaving Zero to the attention of the quivering girl, who looks up to her savior…and her form becoming like water, ages from a girl to a woman his age.

            "Who are you?" he asks, his breath rattling in his throat.

            "My name is Emeralda," she says, her deeply accented voice like a whisper, "Thank you for freeing me.  Are you of the Animus, to?" 


	6. Darkening Rage

Darkening Rage

______________

            A backfist to the face cracks the Soul Blazer's nose and loosens his grip on Walker, long enough for the cloaked villain to fly up out of his grip, rising into the air…and stopping, arms spread out, eyes closed.

            "What is he doing?" Roll demands, landing with Bass next to Blues and Titenin.

            "Gathering power," the sorcerer responds, "He's taping into the ambient ley lines of the planet."

            Turning from his apprentice to the fallen Weltall, he eyes Zero standing above with the green-haired woman.

            "With Weltall out of the picture, Walker is now mad and readying a frontal assault.  We will have to break it.  Soul Blazer!"

            The Templar Knight turns, his nose healing with a glow of blue energy.

            "Do it."

            Roll and Bass take to the skies, as do Titenin and Blues, aloft on magic winds…leaving the Soul Blazer standing in the sky.  He turns, seeing a worried Sarah Cole standing next to a confused X and Gutsman…and he grits his teeth, turning from them to the Walker.

            Unsheathing his sword, drawing it from the scabbard in his back, he holds it in front of him, resting the flat of the blade in his hand.

            Titenin told him what this simple, plane one-handed sword is.  It is a host.  A channel.

            _"Say the name, and it will be yours._"

            "Alright…alright, let's see if you're right."

            Gripping the sword with both hands, he holds it in front of him…and he hears a voice.

            He hears a song.  Nothing he can understand…but something deep within his soul, coming from what lies beneath the blade…as if it was meant for him all along.  Closing his eyes, he takes in the music and voice, lowering the blade…

            And pulling the sword up, he holds it above his head and points it to the sky.

            "Soul Blade!"

            The sword glows…and the song becomes a triumphant climax.  A gem appears on each side of hilt, one black, one white.  Upon their appearance, the plane, flat hilt flares out into two wings, a red gem and a blue gem cast in the right wing, a green gem and a lavender gem cast into the left.

            The hilt of the sword glows and grows downward like a tree root, doubling its length as he grips it firmly with both hands, the light cascading into the gold gem now forming the base…and the blade glows.

            Where silver metal once lied now is a blade of polished marble, four feet in length, with lines of blue power running up the grooves.  Lowering it, seeing his blue armguards now gold, his chest armor now deep violet and indigo, and a dark blue cape falling from his flared shoulder guards to his ankles, he examines the awakened Soul Blade.

            And sheathing himself in Templar energies, he takes off like an arrow from the bow towards the Walker.

            Emeralda hops out of Zero's arms, leaping off the apartment building as Zero screams for her to stop.  Her form becomes liquid, splattering onto the pavement before reforming into her humanoid form.

            Teleporting in a beam of read, Zero appears next to her, trying to ask a question before she continues walking…right towards the inactive Weltall.

            "Wait!" he screams, "What are you doing?!"

            "I am doing my part," she responds, "Quickly!  Follow me!"

            She runs up to the torso of the machine, and jumps into the cockpit opening.

            "Oh, why the Hell not?" Zero asks, looking up as if beseeching a higher power, and runs after her into the cavity…

            Pointing the Soul Blade towards the Walker, a blast of eldritch force shoots from the Soul Blazer through the sword, as Bass and Roll begin unleashing their fully charged plasma blasts at him.

            Coming from his trance, the reinvigorated Walker gestures, a half-circle shield of violet energy appearing before him and absorbing the blasts.  Gesturing with his other hand, a second shield appears to deflect the lightning bolts cast by Protoman and his master.

            "Please," Walker growls, "Don't insult me."

            The shields explode into bursts of force, the shockwave knocking Bass out of the air, Roll swooping down to catch him, righting him as they fly low, under his sight as Protoman and Titenin renew their assault.

            "Thanks," Bass says, his back-jets reigniting, "Well…"

            "I know," she responds, "This isn't good.  Bass, are you carrying any weapons?"

            "I have a spare beam sabre."

            "Good," she says, "Give it to me.  I have an idea."

            The rod rises out of a spare compartment on his right forearm, and he hands it to her.  She clicks it on, a beam of light blue extending…and Bass places his hand on her arm, garnering her attention.

            "Roll," he says, "Be careful."

            She nods, with a slight smile, and flies up at the continued assault…

            With strength he would have never guessed she possessed, Emerald pushes Zero into the padded chair, the cockpit door closing behind them…and Zero's jerked back into the seat as the chair rises into the chest cavity, before a set of screens and controls.

            "What are we doing?"

            "I am not Weltall's pilot," she says, "Only the Contact is, and only he can unleash Zenogais.  But I can act as a medium between your commands and Weltall's systems, for he knows and loves me."

            "Huh…lady, this is making less sense than before, and even then it was it pretty fuzzy…"

            "Please, call me Emeralda, not lady," she says with a smile, "I also prefer Emmy."

            And with that, her form liquefies and becomes a web of green, latching onto his skin and around the cockpit, connecting to controls, the walls, even the screens.

            "Ew…"

            His questions to himself on whether or not this is the result of that peanut butter and ham sandwich he had the night before are put to rest when the cockpit lurches…and entire rows of data run over the screens, the keyboard controls lighting up as a pair of joysticks appear in either of his hands.

            "Oh, baby…"

            Weltall's eyes glow green, a slow, steady moan escaping the metal giant's throat.

            Clenching its limp hands into fists, it sits up, gathered onlookers screaming as they run in terror of the revived goliath.

            Steadying one hand on Sachs, it pulls itself up, pavement creaking in protest as it rises.  Looking up to the battle, it thrusts out its shoulders, the emerald wings manifesting for a second before disappearing.

            And it holds its hands high…and light begins to crackle around them.

            Weaving between the exchanges of blasts between the sorcerers, the Templar, and the Walker, Roll flies upwards, then diving down into a jackknife at the Walker.  Seeing her, he forms a shield around them both, drawing his sabre and blocking her opening slash.

            "Aggressive, aren't you?" he asks, "Don't worry, I haven't been ignoring you.  I've just been busy with people who are an actual merited THREAT."

            "And now?"

            "And now I'm just going to even the odds by one," he responds, flying back, swinging into her block.

            The two begin their duel, exchanging perfectly timed and blocked blows as they weave in and out in the air, blue sabre against violet, emitting flashes of light with each blocked blow.

            He blocks her thrust, turning her sabre, bringing her close.

            "You're better than I remember," he says with a grin.

            "I've been practicing," she growls, "And how would you…"

            "That's the fun part."

            He slams his sabre down, causing her to lurch forward as he brings the sabre up…

            And finds her arm buster pressed to his stomach.

            "Strategy, to," she says, "You struck me as the 'play with them before you kill them' type."

            The white-hot plasma blast rips into his gut, shattering the shield, renewed attacks from the mages and Soul Blazer catching him off guard, making him scream…

            Weltall chambers his hands to the side, a white sphere of power forming.

            Inside the cockpit, Zero grits his teeth, feeling his own life energy being sucked into the blast, the very metal groaning and the green of Emeralda's webbed form glowing…and he screams.

            The giant thrusts its hands upwards, the sphere rippling before becoming a solid pillar of white hurtling towards the waiting Walker…

            And the Walker sees it, desperately thrusting his hands down, a solid field of violet energy catching the blast…and straining his efforts, sweat beating down his brow.

            "Tell me, Blues," Theadore says, "How far ahead have you studied?"

            "Quite far, Master," Blues responds.

            "And the locked book in my study?"

            "I'm an excellent lock pick."

            The wizard gestures to Walker, Soul Blazer flying to Titenin's side…and Protoman's form ripples with eldritch energies, one hand bracing against another as he raises them high.

            "_Hark, Celestial Star, summon the might of the gods and men into your mercy,_" he chants, "_Breathe life into my call, and shatter the darkness before me!  HOLY!_"

            He thrusts both hands at the Walker, a blast of white enveloping Protoman before turning into a sphere, and hurtling at the defenseless villain.

            The Walker screams as it impacts, his shields shattering…and the blast of Weltall overtaking him, one last long, shattering scream escaping the Walker's throat before he falls to the pavement far below.

            Landing, they surround him.  Roll extends her beam sabre at his throat.  Titenin and Blues extend their still smoking hands.  Bass aims his cannon.  Soul Blazer stands at his head.

            And Weltall overshadows them, arms folded and waiting…

            And the Walker coughs, climbing to his feet…and grins, beneath his high collar.

            "This is hardly the end," he says, "But a good first show."

            He takes a step forward, and fades away, stepping between dimensions.

            The city is silent, as the people see the warriors gathered where they cast the enemy down…and it starts.  Just one person clapping.  Then those around, and around that crowd, spreading out through the city as the heroes look in befuddlement…

            And grinning, the Soul Blazer slaps Bass on the shoulder, nearly knocking him over.

            "Now _this_ I could get used to."


	7. Epilogue:  Setting Places

Epilogue:

Setting the Places

_______________

            Standing between Bass, the favored son of Dr. Wily, and Gutsman, who he knows can break him in half and make him into dog food for Treble, Robert Cole jr. believes he has finally found the reason he moved out of Tokyo.

            Sadly, they also live in New York, but well enough out of his circle of friends that he never has to worry about them.  But as he stands between them in the cemetery outside of Okinawa, he looks at the two, side-by-side tombstones, and wonders exactly what he's gotten himself into.

            One stone reads the name of Thomas Xavier Light.  The other reads the name Rock Light, 01.  The graves of his grandfather and, to most everyone who asks, his uncle, despite there never being anything of the first Megaman to bury except a legacy.

            "We did good, out there," Roll says, standing alongside Bass, her armor changed for a black dress-suit, turning her gray clad ally, "You did good out there."

            "Even counting me trying to off X?"

            "Even counting that," she sighs, "You had your reasons.  Just don't do it again."

            "I'll try not to," he responds, turning to her, "But if he _ever_ tries to hurt you, you know what I have to do."

            Standing at the gravesite is Roll and Bass, along with Sarah, Iris, Zero, Emeralda, Gutsman, Robert jr, X, and Protoman.  Not present is the Soul Blazer or Blue's master, both, the apprentice assured, would know of anything that transpired here.

            "So," Blues says, "What do we do next?"

            "We?" Zero asks.

            "We," Roll responds, "What we did today we'll most likely end up doing a lot from here on in.  The Walker isn't dead, and that means he'll be back.  And we dealt with him this time because we worked as a team.  Loosely, but as a team."

            "Which I will remind people consisted mainly of me being hurled at Voltron," Zero chimes in.

            Bass glares at Zero, quickly shutting him up under the withering gaze.

            "If we want to beat him next time, we need to be able to act as a real team, not just a strung together in a minute one," Roll continues, "Cole Labs has the resources to support us.  We can do more than just stop the Walker.  The world is changing…and it could use people like us to help with the threats it can't deal with on its own."

            "And what do we have?" Blues asks, folding his arms.

            "My weapons," Roll responds, "They were Dr. Light's culmination on weapons technologies.  Your magic, Blues.  Zero's speed, and skill.  The Soul Blazer…Blues, can you contact him again?"

            "Certainly."

            "Good.  We have his powers and your master's, and the resources at our disposal.  We can do a lot of good.  With Rock gone, we have to be there to deal with things like another Albert Wily or another King.  An elite team."

            "A Team Elite," Bass says with a grin, "Hell, you and Rock really are twins.  I'd expect that sort of plan from him."

            "And what about you, Bass?"

            "Maybe," he says, burying his hands in his pockets, "First, I need to find out who this 'Boss' is.  If anyone's supposed to order around the Robot Masters on hairbrained schemes, it's supposed to be me.  Someone's stealing my thunder, and I just don't like it…but consider me someone you can call in if you need."

            Gutsman nods his cap to Roll, patting her on the shoulder.

            "You're just like ol'Rock," he says, "You'll do him proud, sis.  I'll be headin' back home.  Seeya on the plane, Bass."

            The giant begins lumbering off, as Bass sighs, turning to Roll and taking her hands into his.

            "I have to be in Tokyo next week on business," he says, "Could you meet me for dinner, then?"

            "We'll see," Roll responds, "I can't pretend what has happened hasn't."

            "But it also doesn't mean I can't try," he says with a grin, "My treat?"

            "In that case, fine," she says with a chuckle, "Next week?"

            "Next week," he responds, "Take good care of my little brother for me."

            "Haven't I always?"

            "Seeing how much Iris has him whipped, I can question that."

            "HEY!" Zero shouts…and quiets down when Bass again stares at him.

            Bass takes Roll's hand, holding it to his lips, and walks down the same path as Gutsman disappeared to…leaving a Roll who's face has turned a slightly darker shade of red.

            "Don't say it," she says to Blues' question, "Don't say it."

            He laughs, putting an arm over her shoulder.

            "I won't," he says, walking with her down another walkway, "The Team Elite, huh?  I like it.  I always wanted to be a superhero…"

            The others begin departing, X giving one last long stare to the graves of his predecessor and his father before joining them, whistling an unfamiliar tune along the way…one that catches Emeralda's ear, as she takes his arm and walks with him, joining him in the whistling.

            Leaving Robert staring at the graves, his mother by his side.

            "In all the excitement I think you've been ignored," Sarah says, rubbing his shoulder, "I never even got to ask you about your day."

            "Oh, nothing special Mom," he says, as he begins walking with her, "Same old, same old."

            They leave the graveyard, the last of the family to leave…and as they exit through the gates, a fading figure becomes evident.  Becoming more solid with every step, he appears, his form complete as he stands in front of the grave.

            The Walker.

            He stares at the two graves, a wistful smile on his face.  And reaching down, he takes two stones, and places one on each headstone.

            And turning, he steps again between dimensions, leaving the graves in their silence.

**The End**


End file.
